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Khandians
The original population of Khand (originally "Khondu" or "Kha-On") in the Second Age had been farmers, descendants of the House of Sulam from Hildorien, the first Men who had come to the Khand Gap after the wanderings of the Daen-people in the early second Age.After the rise of the Talataerim some western Firasfrathi clans, the Ororath, Omodath and Vracarath, conquered these local tribesmen and other Ioriag clans invaded the lands of Kha-On in several succeeding waves.The population and culture of late second and early Third age Khondu had integrated both, the earlier agricultural element and the later intruding Nomad cultures, the Porodihi were the more sedentary and loyal faction while the more conservative and nomadic clans, the Chorad and the seven Orath were often seen as unreliable. Throughout most of the Third Age these people were widely known as Khandians but after the Wainrider was, the Nazgûl installed a newly formed northern Dynasty from within the lines of Mercenary clans who had fought against Gondor in the Great Wars.These Elite-Warriors were knows as Variags, a term that was often used by outsiders to denote the entire population of Khand, although in Khand itself the term designated only a single social class. Society: The Men of Khand were a mixed-people of Easterling- Haradrim- and Daen-blood, having enslaved Easterling Tribes from Rhûn, Chey Sart, Nûrad and Relmether as well as Haruze from Near-Harad and men from Núrn for centuries.The Variags , in the close sense, were only the Warriors or Mercenaries of the Khandish-People.They were the ruling-caste of Khand and Núrn while the lower classes of Khand were only considered Variag-Bastards or mere slaves. These Men of Khand were ruled by a small caste of female Priestesses,the Vracarathí, and a male caste of elite-Warriors, the Ôsvoda.They were often seen as a divided people by outsiders, being led by a number of rivalrous kings with no supreme head of the realm, although some kings, (historical exceptions as Vangaris or Keiseimu) could hold more power than others.These Kings of Khand were known as the Khûdriags (or later "Khûrs").The Khûdriags were assisted by several Begs ("Advisors") who might hold more power than the actual King.Ranks above the Ôsvoda were the Ôsvodeg ("Warlord" or "Leader") and the Ôrodriag ( or "Orod", "Prince", "Khagan" or "ruling Lord").Few exalted Variag-Kings were considered Khûdriag-Ata ("God-Kings" chosen by the Nameless) and succeeded to bring the Chorad , the seven most powerful and more or less autonomous Orods, under their rule.The Heads of the Variag Clans were called Kekhavrathí and in uneasy rivalry with the Vracarathí.Among the Clans the Porodihi were the more sedentary and loyal faction while the more conservative and nomadic clans were often seen as unreliable.Despite their mostly dry and barren land, their loyalty to Sauron and their role as Mercenaries, Slave-Traders, Assassins and guardians of the Dark Lord´s Caravan- and Pilgrimage routes had made the Variag society rich and prosperous. Religion: The Men of Khand had long revered Sauron, whom they called Tûmrakhi in Khandian, their own language, as a god-like being.However some secretly still venerated older and lesser deities or spirits such as Tuilerwen, Kondri Odchi and Rakodsaol or Feogur which was barely accepted by the devout Sauronites.However the Variags considered themselves as a "chosen people" and were not interested in the observations of lesser races. Warcraft: They were Horsemen and Charioteers, Variag Lords being constantly in war with each other and their neighbours in Rhûn and Haradwaith, and slave-hunters and traders for Mordor and Sauron.Khandish Mercenaries were not subjugate to any tribal king but ruled by their own chieftains, who were not much more than independent bandit-lords. Lamellar was the typical armour of these regions, usually of hardened leather or light studded leather but rugged black steel armour and scale cuirasses were also known combined with round shields and pointed metal helmets (Variag Helms).Lamellar horse-armour was usually reserved for elite troops, but was very commong among the ruling Ithô clan. Slings, spears, javelins and small one-handed axes were very popular in the cavalry. Horse archers and camel riders were armed with Horsebows with large, box-like quivers which could carry as many as sixty arrows. Straight double-edged swords similar to western form were preferred, but majority of common blades were more like the single-edged haradan Haril. A Weapon unique to the Variags was the Usriev, another traditional weapons was the Bola.The Arsiyah Cavalry were outstanding medium cavalry which formed the regular standing army of the Khûrs.Uhlans were the second, and larger, khandish cavalry force, consisting of light and medium horsemen.Camel Riders were the Variag light cavalry.The Variag Guard was medium infantry wearing Lamellar armour of rigid leather, lamellar helmets and grieves, battle axes, large oval shields and straight single-edged swords.Variag Spearmen served as light infantry wearing soft leather or brigandine armour, helmets, pikes, spears and hand axes. Appearance: The Variags were usually seen as a people of mixed descent with Easterling, Haradrim as well as Daen ancestors.They were usually brawny and of middle height, with dark, sometimes even black, complexion.They often had ornamental brandings, tattoos and scarifications adding to their barbarous appearance.Males sometimes wore stringy beards, often long, thin moustaches and braided hair or ponytails.Usual dresses were made of leather and loin and preferably black, red or brown.Men sometimes wore pelted caps, women elaborate headdresses. Animal totems often showed depictions of Bats or Horses.Golden and bronze jewellely was much favoured among the well-to-do. Language: The Varadja language was said to be non-related to any other mannish tongue but rather similar to the Black Speech or Orcish.In fact it originally had been of the firasfrathig family, but millenia in the neighbourhood of Mordor had changed it in a way making it sound closer to the Black Speech or orcish dialects.Also close neighbourhood to the Haradrim had added strong Haruze influences, especially in southern Khand.For written Varadja Variags used a script derived from mordorian Tengwar and Orcish Runes, the Script was also known as Variag-Tengwar or Khandian Letters. known clans: *Akheth *Akhev (Achef) *Ankiv (Ankif) *Azumenúkhad *Drîond *Harmunekhad *Îgath *Îmaviôn *Ibô *Irbô *Itakh *Itâna *Ithô *Môga *Nîkhad *Nikhôd *Olêna *Ôran *Ôrath *Ôrpov *Ôvan *Ôvon *Ûdo *Ûliath *Ûprava *Ûrpov *Vrakhara *Skakali *Tûmag Variags of Renown: Aivaisa Arkish Asternak Azzad Beg Balûn Bountîg Brôdvaga Akhev Bulga Caljar Curuband Gorovod II Goûr Itô Hargrog Harvâl Itâna Ôron Itâna Ôvan Itâna Ôvan II Itâna Ôvon Jotaen Jotaeseimu Kanhai Keiseimu Khôdid Ûprava Khûrubra Khûrsh Khîonid Akhev Khîonid II Khîonvad Akhev Leídan Lûthkan Lûthku Marcetha Mardrash Mîonid Akhev Mîonid II Itô Neida Nômid Akhev Ôdavith Akhev Ôldur Ôlriag Akhev Ômad Akhev Ôthour Itô Ôthour II Ôthour III Ôthour IV Ôvag Itô Ôvaisa Itô Ôvatha Itô Ôvatha II Ôvatha III Ôvatha IV Ôvatha V Ôvatha VI Ôvatha VII Ôvatha VIII Ôvatha IX Ôvatha X Ôvatha XI Ôvatha XXVI Râisha Sacal Surakaris Tarôk Tûkrai Ûlruth Ûonid Irbô Ûrdrath Ûrdrath II Ûrig Ûrpof Ûrig II Ûvatha Ûvatha IX Ûsriev Vakheralthan Valathmir Vangariz Vrônkhar Warlôg Wastaph Yuktîr Yumruk Yursal Zôr Notes: *There have also been speculations of the Variags being Northron-Exiles, mercenaries of the Rulers of Khand or Mordor or the Variags being identical with the bearded axe-wielding Easterlings described to take part at the Battle of Pelennor.Both speculations are based of the historical Varangians which were known as Varyags to the Rus and described by contemporary commentators as Axe-wielding barbarians.These Variags could have been descendants of the Northron-Mercenaries who allied themselves with the Wainriders in the days of Narmacil I or Mercenaries from the East.Other speculations are the Variags not being humans but mere creatures and possibly identical with the Troll-men or Half-Trolls.The Variags of the ICE Canon seem to be a synthesis of these speculations, them having a dark and exotic look, being a slavo-turk-mongol influenced culture on one side, but being descendants of the Talatherim and thus relatives of the Northmen of Rhovanion. Links: * Michael Martinez:Who Were the Variags of Khand? References: *Fan Modules:Khand Timeline *The Chronicles of Khand (http://www.theonering.com/reading-room/stories/) Category:Wild peoples of the east and south Category:Khand Category:Variags